Wall Insulation Panel

ABSTRACT

A wall insulation panel for use on a wall comprises at least the successive layers of: a first protective panel having a wall-meeting surface and a vacuum insulating panel (VIP) facing surface, an intermediate VIP panel; and a second protective panel having a VIP facing surface and an outward facing surface. There is an expansion region between at least one of the first and second protective panels and the VIP panel to allow for expansion of the VIP panel without deformation of the outward facing surface of the second protective panel. In this way, the expansion region allows for expansion of the VIP panel without deformation of the VIP facing surface of the second panel, and thus without deformation of the outward facing surface. This maintains the integrity and aesthetic appearance of the outward facing surface, and any further surface or layer thereon, such as a rendered layer.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to and all the advantages of U.S.Provisional Patent Application No. 61/566,747, filed on Dec. 5, 2011,the content of which is incorporated herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a wall insulation panel for use on awall and including a vacuum insulating panel (VIP), as well as wallinsulation cladding comprising a series of said wall insulation panels,in particular to provide a continuous VIP plane.

BACKGROUND

Vacuum insulating panels (VIPs), often also termed ‘VIP panels’, are ahighly efficient advanced thermal insulation technology, having at least3-7 times more effective insulation ability than conventional plasticfoams or fibrous insulation. VIP panels are increasingly used to enhancethe performance of static goods such as refrigerators, and inrefrigerated vehicles.

VIP panels are increasingly being used or proposed to be used in theinsulation of buildings, especially with the aim of making buildingsmore thermally efficient. VIP panels are generally more compact (bybeing thinner) than existing insulation panels, ensuring savings in bothspace and energy. Insulation within ‘cavity’ walls is well known, but itis also desired to improve the insulation on the outside walls ofbuildings.

Conventionally, outer wall insulation for buildings is provided by solidpanels formed with traditional foam or fibrous insulation. Such panelsprovide a robust product able to withstand handling during theconstruction and installation processes, as well as being able to be cutand shaped into any size, and be secured to the wall by easy fixingmethods including nails and other fixing brackets, which candeliberately or accidently go through such panels without significantlyaffecting its insulation properties.

After adding the insulation panels during wall construction, a finallayer, generally a ‘rendered’ layer, is usually added to provide asmooth and uniform finish to the outside of the building, both forweather shielding, and as the final outwardly facing layer that definesthe ‘view’ of the building.

VIP panels, by involving a vacuum, are generally less robust, andrequire at least some protection during installation and fixing towithstand the handling involved. Thus, conventionally, VIP panels forbuilding purposes are completely enveloped on all sides in one or morefoam protective layers to form an insulation panel.

However, such fully protected and enveloped VIP panels have twoproblems. Firstly, whilst vacuum technology is improving, the existenceof the vacuum in the VIP panels still makes possible the transfer ofgasses from the atmosphere to the interior of the panel through thepanel membrane, i.e. ‘leaking’ of the vacuum. But any leakage willaffect the overall size of enveloped VIP panels, expanding the wholeinsulation panel, and therefore deforming any weather shielding orrendered finish thereon. The render will crack and allow moistureingress, affecting the integrity of the panel, as well as beingaesthetically unsightly.

Secondly, the overall effectiveness of the vacuum insulation is reducedwhen a number of such panels are brought together to form an overallsurface or cladding. This is because the foam protection surrounds theVIP panels on all sides, isolating the VIP panels, so that providing anumber of such panels together does not create any continuation of the‘vacuum insulation’ properties of the separate VIP panels. Thus, ‘heathighways’, i.e. easier pathways for heat to travel, are created for thepassage of heat from one side the such insulation panels to the otherside, generally from the outside to the inside. The heat highways areformed between the VIP panels where the foam protection breaks themeeting of the actual vacuum insulation part of each panel, despite theinsulation panels meeting.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved wallinsulation panel having a VIP panel for use in wall insulation and beingable to accommodate VIP leakage, and/or reduce the number of heathighways across a series of such panels.

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided awall insulation panel for use on a wall comprising at least thesuccessive layers of: a first protective panel having a wall-meetingsurface and a vacuum insulating panel (VIP) facing surface, anintermediate VIP panel; and

a second protective panel having a VIP facing surface and an outwardfacing surface; characterised in that there is an expansion regionbetween at least one of the first and second protective panels and theVIP panel to allow for expansion of the VIP panel without deformation ofthe outward facing surface of the second protective panel.

In this way, the expansion region allows for expansion of the VIP panelwithout deformation of the VIP facing surface of the second panel, andthus without deformation of the outward facing surface. This maintainsthe integrity and aesthetic appearance of the outward facing surface,and any further surface or layer thereon, such as a rendered layer.

The wall insulation panel of the present invention is usable on anytype, form and extent of wall, being for example an inner wall, outerwall, ceiling, roof, floor, door or any other surface intended toprovide a similar structure, and not limited thereto. The nature,extent, design and shape of the wall are not limiting factors to thepresent invention.

Preferably, the wall insulation panel is usable on the outer wall of abuilding.

Typical but not limiting dimensions of the wall insulation panels couldbe in the range 0.3 m to 2.5 m ‘wide’, 0.3 m to 4 m ‘tall’, and 50 mm to500 mm ‘thick’.

The nature, size, shape and design of the first protective panel is notlimiting to the present invention. It can be formed of any suitablematerial, preferably a durable plastic foam, and more preferablyselected from the group consisting of expanded polystyrene (EPS),extruded polystyrene (XPS), polyurethane (PU), PIR (Polyisocyanuratefoam), aluminium or any rigid plastic.

Similarly, the nature, size, shape and design of the second protectivepanel is not limiting to the same invention, and can be the same ordifferent to that of the first protective panel. Preferably, the secondprotective panel can also be formed of any suitable material, morepreferably a durable plastic foam, and even more preferably selectedfrom the group consisting of expanded polystyrene (EPS), extrudedpolystyrene (XPS), polyurethane (PU), PIR (Polyisocyanurate foam),aluminium or any rigid plastic.

The second protective panel has an outward facing surface. The term“outward” is used herein to mean the opposite to the “wall-meetingsurface”, and in the same way that most building walls have an innerfacing surface and an outer or outward facing surface. Generally the“outward” facing surface of a panel is that surface of the panel whichis still visible following the application of the panel to a wall.

The intermediate VIP panel may have any suitable nature, size, shape anddesign accommodatable between the first and second protective panels.The VIP panel may be formed of any suitable outer film, membrane, wall,covering, etc., generally termed the ‘membrane material’, within whichthere is a vacuum. The vacuum may be of any suitable pressure, generallybeing lower than ‘ambient’ or ‘atmospheric’ pressure, such as less than5 mbar for fumed silica filled VIP, and less than 1 mbar for mineralwool filled VIP. The vacuum pressure may be related to the size andother construction parameters of the VIP panel.

The wall insulation panel may comprise one or more intermediate VIPpanels, being the same or different; optionally having the same orsimilar dimensions and other parameters, and references herein to theterm “the intermediate VIP panel” include a single intermediate VIPpanel or multiple intermediate VIP panels, layered between the first andsecond protective panels.

As discussed above, the membrane or covering material of the VIP panelis intended to resist to the transfer of gasses from the atmosphere tothe interior of the panel, which obviously reduces the vacuum-insulatingperformance of the panel, and also expands the size of the panel. Amembrane material such as aluminium foil has good vacuum-resistingproperties, as well as being easily ‘sealable’ during the method ofmanufacturing the VIP panels. One or more further layers or coveringsmay be inside or outside the membrane material. However, it is notpossible to produce a perfect vacuum layer, especially at the vacuumpressures used to form VIP panels, and which will be subject to the‘conditions’ of building walls, such as temperature variations, longterm exposure, any impacts, etc., as well as achieving the long productlifetime and effectiveness generally desired by building manufacturers.

The VIP panel may include one or more internal media. Internal mediainclude materials such as aerogel, silica, especially fumed silica,fibreglass and microfibreglass.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the VIP panel usedin the present invention is a fumed silica VIP panel, available from DowCorning Corporation of Midland, Mich., USA.

The expansion region between at least one of the first and secondprotective panels and the VIP panel of the present invention allows forexpansion of the VIP panel without deformation of the outward facingsurface of the second panel. Thus, the integrity of the outward facingsurface can be maintained. This integrity includes but is not limitedto, being a barrier against the environment, in particular the weather,as well as the aesthetic appearance of the outward facing surface, orany further layer or surface or material added on to the outward facingsurface. For example, any deformation in the outward facing surfacewould crack a rendered layer added thereon, allowing moisture ingresswith its known associated problems, as well as looking permanentlyunsightly.

The expansion region may comprise any area or space able to accommodateexpansion of the vacuum insulating panel within the dimensions of thewall insulation panel, without affecting the shape or plane of theoutward facing surface of the second protective panel.

The expansion region may extend partly, substantially or wholly acrossone or more surfaces of the VIP panel. In particular, it may be partly,substantially or wholly of the same dimensions as at least one of theVIP facing surfaces of the first and second protective panels.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the length andwidth of the expansion region wholly or substantially matches the lengthand width of the VIP panel.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, the expansionregion has a wholly or substantially constant depth, ‘depth’ being thatdimension extending transverse from one side of the VIP panel.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, the expansionregion includes a compensation layer. The compensation layer optionallycomprises one or more layers and/or materials, and is able to compensatefor any expansion in the size of the VIP panel.

Preferably, the compensation layer comprises one or more solid orsemi-solid materials, at least a portion of which is deformable toaccommodate expansion of the VIP panel. Optionally, the compensationlayer may be formed from one or more materials, being the same ordifferent, wherein at least one of said materials is deformable and atleast one of said materials is non-deformable by deformation orexpansion of the VIP panel.

The ‘different’ materials of the compensation layer may include amaterial having the same chemical or material composition, such as oneor more plastics, but having different properties, such as differentdensity, molecular weight, etc. Plastics such as EPS are available atdifferent densities, molecular weights, etc., to provide the same typeof plastic, but with different properties, especially differentmechanical properties such as strength.

Optionally, the expansion region is formed of one or more deformablematerials as defined above and one or more gaseous areas or spaces, suchas one or more air spaces or pockets.

The deformable materials may extend regularly or irregularly across theexpansion region, and may extend partly, substantially or fully acrossthe expansion region.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, the expansionregion or compensation layer includes one or more of the groupcomprising: ribs, tubes, springs and a soft and/or compressible foam,for example a very soft foam.

Optionally, the expansion region comprises a series of ribs or tubesextending between a VIP facing surface and the VIP panel, at least aportion of which ribs or tubes are deformable. Such ribs or tubes couldbe formed from a low density PU soft foam, or another low density softfoam, or a flexible foam, or flexible tubes, extruded or moulded foams,or even a silicone foam or acrylic materials. Optionally, the ribs ortubes provide a corrugated surface between the VIP facing surface andthe VIP panel. Also optionally, the ribs or tubes extend from the VIPfacing surface to meet the VIP panel.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the compensation layeris a sheeted material shaped to directly fit into the expansion layer.The sheeted material may comprise a first surface having a deformablematerial such as a number of ribs or corrugations extending transverselyfrom the first sheet. Optionally, the sheet has a second opposingsurface, forming a ‘sandwich’ effect between the deformable material.Such a sheeted material can be formed as an extruded material, and cutinto the desired shape for easy insertion into the expansion regionduring manufacture of the wall insulation panels. Alternatively,compensation layer can be moulded.

Preferably, the expansion region is between the VIP facing surface ofthe second panel and the VIP panel. Optionally, the expansion region islocated between the VIP panel and the VIP facing surface of the firstprotective panel to provide the same allowance for expansion of the VIPpanel without deformation of the outward facing surface of the secondprotective panel. Alternatively, an expansion region could be located oneach side of the VIP panel, able to accommodate the expansion of the VIPpanel from one or both sides of the VIP panel.

As mentioned above, VIP panels have generally only been used whencompletely surrounded by one or more protective layers in conventionalinsulation panels, in order to protect the integrity of the more fragileVIP panel during use in the construction industry, etc. However, becausethe protection surrounds the VIP panels on all sides, providing a numberof such panels together to cover a wall does not allow continuation ofthe ‘vacuum insulation’ properties of the isolated and thus separate VIPpanels within each of the insulation panels. That is, heat highways areformed between the VIP panels, despite the insulation panels meeting.

Thus, in another embodiment of the present invention, the wallinsulation panel of the present invention comprises a VIP panelextending to two opposing sides of the wall insulation panel. In thisway, such sides of the VIP panel can directly meet the VIP sides ofother such panels placed thereagainst, so as to provide a continuationof the vacuum insulation effect across two or more adjacent, abutting,conjoining or otherwise adjoining wall insulation panels of the presentinvention. Thus, there is no heat highway possible thereinbetween, andreduction of the number of ‘heat highways’ in an insulated wall claddingincreases the effectiveness of the overall insulation effect across anumber of panels.

The term ‘directly meet’ as used herein relates to the meeting orabutment of the VIP panels in such a way as to provide a continuance ofthe vacuum insulation effect. That is, where any intermediate layerbetween the two VIP panels exists, it has a de minimus effect on thevacuum insulation property. Preferably, the two VIP panels of thisembodiment of the present invention abut without any intermediate layer.

According to another embodiment of present invention, the outward facingsurface of the outer panel has a rendered finish thereon.

Optionally, the outer panel includes a transverse warning line parallelto the outward facing surface, to indicate a cutting zone. Indicatedcutting zones on building panels are known in the art, and generallycomprise one or more lines formed by visual or shaped, two dimensionalor three dimensional additions or alterations in the outer facingsurface, to indicate to a user what area of the wall insulation panelcan be cut away in order to form the final necessary or desired shape ofthe wall insulation panel, generally to match a corresponding space onthe wall, without affecting the VIP panel, and more particularly withoutcutting through the VIP panel and therefore negating the vacuuminsulating effect. Such warning lines include continuous ornon-continuous red lines or indented lines.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provideda wall insulation cladding comprising a series of abutting wall panelsas defined herein. The wall insulation cladding may extend to in two orthree dimensions, generally but not limited thereto, being a flat outerwall of a building, such as a commercial building or premises.

Preferably, the wall insulation cladding of the present inventionprovides a continuous VIP plane in at least in one dimension, based onthe use of abutting two or more wall insulation panels of the presentinvention, each comprising a VIP panel extending to two opposing sidesof the wall-insulation panel, to increase the overall vacuum insulationeffect of the wall insulation cladding.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described by way ofexample only and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGS. 1 a and 1 b are side and perspective views respectively of a wallinsulation panel according to one embodiment of the present invention inan expanded format;

FIGS. 2 a and 2 b are side and perspective views respectively of thewall insulation panel of FIGS. 1 a and 1 b in a formed format;

FIG. 3 is a side of the wall insulation panel of FIG. 2 a afterexpansion of the VIP panel;

FIG. 4 is a schematic front view of two abutting wall insulation panelsof FIGS. 1 and 2; and

FIG. 5 is a schematic perspective view of a number of abutting wallinsulation panels of FIGS. 1 and 2 to form a wall insulation claddingaccording to another embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to the drawings, FIGS. 1 a, 1 b, 2 a and 2 b show a wallinsulation panel 2 according to one embodiment of the present invention,comprising a first protective panel 4 having a wall meeting surface 6and a vacuum insulating panel (VIP) facing surface 8, an intermediateVIP panel 10, and a second protective panel 12 having a VIP facingsurface 14 and an outward facing surface 16.

FIGS. 1 a and 1 b show the wall insulation panel 2 in an expanded form,prior to bringing together the panels in a manufacturing method toprovide the formed or completed wall insulation panel 2 shown in FIGS. 2a and 2 b.

Each of the first and second protective panels 4, 12 are made ofexpanded polystyrene (EPS). EPS can be easily extruded into the relevantshapes, or indeed other similar shapes able to achieve the protectiveeffect, to surround the VIP panel 10 in a protective or clam-shellmanner.

Whilst the present invention is not limited thereto, FIGS. 1 and 2 showthe first protective panel 4 forming a ‘base channel’, having a backwall portion 18 and two outstanding shoulder portions 19, having theinner dimensions of three sides of the VIP panel 10 so as to accommodateand protect the VIP panel 10 on three sides. The shoulder portions 19 ofthe first protective panel 4 are also shaped to accommodatecorresponding outstanding top and bottom walls 20 of the secondprotective panel 12, which overlap when formed together as shown inFIGS. 2 a and 2 b.

The VIP panel 10 is formed from an aluminum membrane and an internalfumed silica media, available from Dow Corning Corporation of Midland,Mich., USA.

Whilst not being limited thereto, the dimensions of the wall insulationpanel 2 could be in the range 1.5 m×1.5 m×0.5 m.

The second protective panel 12 includes an expansion region 22 which,once the wall insulation panel 2 is formed as shown in FIGS. 2 a and 2b, extends between the VIP facing surface 14 of the second protectivepanel 12 and the opposing surface of the VIP panel 10.

The expansion region 22 includes a compensation layer formed by a seriesof regular parallel ribs 24 extending from the VIP facing surface 14 ofthe second protective panel 12, so as to provide a corrugated pattern orsurface between the VIP facing surface 14 and the VIP panel 10. The ribs24 are formed from a suitable material such as low density PU soft foam,that will deform/compress when a VIP panel is compromised as shown inFIG. 3 and as discussed hereinafter.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the ribs 24 extend wholly from the VIP facingsurface 14 of the second protective panel 12 to meet the VIP panel 10,and the ribs 24 extend across the whole of this VIP facing surface 14.

The wall insulation panel 2 includes a transverse warning line 26parallel to the outward facing surface 16 to indicate a cutting zone.The warning line 26 is in the form of a groove or channel along the topof the second protective panel 12, and it can be differently coloured,such as red, compared with the colour of the second protective panel 12.The warning line 26 gives an indication to the installer of how far thesecond protective panel 12 can be cut or otherwise shaped withoutcutting back into to the VIP panel 10, and thereby destroying itsintegrity.

FIGS. 1 and 2 also show two vertical sides 28 of the VIP panel 10extending to two opposing sides of the wall insulation panel 2. Suchsides are not being limited to being “vertical” as such, depending uponthe use and installation of the wall insulation panel 2. The verticalsides 28 extend to the vertical side edges of the wall insulation panel2, i.e. they have the same ‘length’ as the first and second protectivepanels 4, 12.

FIG. 3 shows the formed wall insulation panel 2 of FIG. 2 a followingleakage of the vacuum in the VIP panel 10, which expands the size of theVIP panel 10, in particular a frontwall 30 of the VIP panel 10. Theexpansion of this frontwall 30 is shown in exaggerated form for bestillustration of the benefit of the present invention.

As the VIP panel frontwall 30 deforms outwardly, generally in a convexmanner, its additional space can be accommodated by deformation, i.e.crushing, of the opposing ribs 24, making the expansion region 22 asmaller. The extent of the deformation of the frontwall 30, and itsnearness to the VIP facing surface 14 of the second protective panel 12,is shown in exaggerated form for FIG. 3, and the expected deformationover the product lifetime of the wall insulation panel 2 can bepre-calculated, to leave an extensive margin of error within theexpansion region to avoid any complete crushing of the ribs 24 over theproduct life time.

FIG. 3 shows the accommodation of the expansion of the VIP panel 10 bythe crushing of the opposing ribs 24, but without the expanded frontwall30 reaching the VIP facing surface 14 of the second protective panel 12.Thus, there is no deformation of the outward facing surface 16 of thesecond panel 12.

It can be seen that the expansion region 22 could be similarly locatedbetween the VIP panel 10 and the first protective panel 4 to provide thesame allowance for expansion of the opposite wall of the VIP panel 10,still without deformation of the outward facing surface 16 of the secondprotective panel 12. Alternatively, an expansion region could be locatedon each side of the VIP panel 10, able to accommodate the expansion ofone or both VIP panel sidewalls.

FIG. 4 is a front view of the outward facing surfaces 16 of two wallinsulation panels 2 of the present invention abutting along one verticalside 32. In this way, the vertical sides 28 of the VIP panels 10 withineach wall insulation panel 2 can directly abut, so as to form acontinuous VIP plane 34 across the extent of the two wall insulationpanels 2, and so provide a continuation of the vacuum insulation effectof the two VIP panels 10 across the abutment 32. The location of otherwall insulation panels alongside the two wall insulation panels 2 shownin FIG. 4 would extend the continuation of the vacuum insulation effectin the same direction across the whole extent of the covering of thewall insulation panels 2.

FIG. 5 shows a ‘3×3’ series, by way of example only, of wall insulationpanels 2 located on a building wall 40 to form a wall insulationcladding 42 according to another embodiment of the present invention.The wall insulation panels 2 abut along their vertical edges in a mannershown in FIG. 4, so as to provide a continuation of the vacuuminsulation effect 34 as described hereinabove.

Following the application of the wall insulation cladding 42, one ormore layers of render can then be added across the outward facingsurfaces 16 of the wall insulation panels 2, to provide a final renderedsurface 44. The addition of one or more rendered layers providesshielding against the environment, especially the weather, as well asproviding a more aesthetically pleasing final finish to the outside ofthe building.

It is well known that render is susceptible to cracking should there beany disturbance, particularly deformation, of the surface upon which itis laid. Thus, the ability of the present invention to maintain over theproduct life time the outward facing surfaces 16 of the wall insulationpanels 2 without deformation, allows the wall insulation panels 2 tomaintain the integrity and aesthetic appearance of the outward facingsurfaces 16, and/any further surface or layer thereon, such as therendered surface 44. Maintenance of the integrity of the renderedsurface 44 is not only aesthetically pleasing, but also avoids orminimizes the possibility of the ingress of moisture through therendered surface 44.

Thus, the present invention can allow for the expansion of a VIP panelwithin a wall insulation panel should it occur, without deformation ofthe outward facing surface of the second protective panel. In this way,the present invention maintains the integrity and aesthetic appearanceof the outward facing surface, or any further surface or layer thereon.The present invention can also provide a continuation of the vacuuminsulation effect across two or more adjacent or abutting wallinsulation panels.

1. A wall insulation panel for use on a wall comprising at least thesuccessive layers of: a first protective panel having a wall-meetingsurface and a vacuum insulating panel (VIP) facing surface, anintermediate VIP panel; and a second protective panel having a VIPfacing surface and an outward facing surface; wherein there is anexpansion region between at least one of the first and second protectivepanels and the VIP panel to allow for expansion of the VIP panel withoutdeformation of the outward facing surface of the second protectivepanel.
 2. The wall insulation panel as claimed in claim 1, wherein theexpansion region includes a compensation layer.
 3. The wall insulationpanel as claimed in claim 2, wherein the compensation layer includes oneor more solid or semi-solid materials, at least a portion of which isdeformable to accommodate expansion of the VIP panel.
 4. The wallinsulation panel as claimed in claim 3, wherein the expansion regionincludes one or more of the group comprising: ribs, tubes, springs, lowdensity soft foam, adhered ribs or tubes, extruded ribs or tubes,silicone foams.
 5. The wall insulation panel as claimed in claim 4,wherein the expansion region comprises a series of ribs or tubesextending between a VIP facing surface and the VIP panel, at least aportion of which ribs or tubes are deformable.
 6. The wall insulationpanel as claimed in claim 5, wherein the ribs or tubes provide acorrugated surface between the VIP facing surface and the VIP panel. 7.The wall insulation panel as claimed in claim 5, wherein the ribs ortubes extend wholly or substantially from the VIP facing surface to meetthe VIP panel.
 8. The wall insulation panel as claimed in claim 1,wherein the expansion region is between the VIP facing surface of thesecond panel and the VIP panel.
 9. The wall insulation panel as claimedin claim 1, wherein the VIP panel extends to two opposing sides of thewall insulation panel.
 10. The wall insulation panel as claimed in claim1, wherein the outward facing surface of the second protective panel hasa rendered finish thereon.
 11. The wall insulation panel as claimed inclaim 1, wherein the VIP panel is a fumed silica VIP panel.
 12. The wallinsulation panel as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second panelincludes a transverse warning line parallel to the outward facingsurface to indicate a cutting zone.
 13. A wall insulation claddingcomprising a series of abutting wall insulation panels as defined inclaim
 1. 14. The wall insulation cladding as claimed in claim 13,wherein the abutting wall insulation panels each comprise a VIP panelextending to two opposing sides of the wall insulation panel, for thewall insulation cladding to provide a continuous VIP plane.
 15. The wallinsulation panel as claimed in claim 6, wherein the ribs or tubes extendwholly or substantially from the VIP facing surface to meet the VIPpanel.
 16. The wall insulation panel as claimed in claim 3, wherein theexpansion region includes ribs or tubes, and the ribs or tubes provide acorrugated surface between the VIP facing surface and the VIP panel. 17.The wall insulation panel as claimed in claim 16, wherein the ribs ortubes extend wholly or substantially from the VIP facing surface to meetthe VIP panel.